Is the Olympic Break Positive or Negative for us?

[colchar]

I am really hoping - [evil thoughts], USA doesn't make it through, and JVR and Kessel uses that rage to unleash against the Atlantic/Metropolitan division.

I'm hoping Kessel and JVR do extremely well at the Olympics but that the rest of the US teams blows and that they finish well out of the medals.

 

[ungentrified]

I think neutral.

Bolland - two weeks of Barb training [i'm assuming].
everyone else - rest.

I don't think so, all NHL facilities (and access to staff) are closed until the 19th so Bolland won't get access to Barb. He'll be training with the London Knights in the meantime.

 

[Patience]

Positive. Rests Bernier during his first season as an NHL starting goalie. Rests Phaneuf and Gunnarsson from their constant hard minutes every night. Rests rookie NHL defenseman Rielly although he's showing zero signs of tiring, he's known to be in excellent physical condition.

 

[ACC1224]

Were any Players sent down over the break?

Excellent question but not sure, someone else may know though?

 

[trellaine201]

Rest is always good imo.

Why can't they play the same way. If were good enough we will win.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

I'd say neutral. I'm not hopeful that our hot streak would have continued much further than it was. Better hit the reset button where we are and hopefully come back rested for a "start of the season run" they tend to go on.

 

[mix1home]

We should look not only at our team, but what is going on with our competitors for PO spots.

NYR sends 7 players to Olympics, Mtl - also 7, Det - 10 players.
NYR and Mtl showed signs of fatigue recently and their best players will not get any rest. Datsyuk is determined to play for Russia even though he cannot even practice today. He could very well play there as it's his only chance left, but he can come back to NHL unable to play and be on the shelf for weeks or month.
Columbus sending 4, but a lot of those guys contribute to their success and could get tired over playing extra games as youngsters.

This should be huge advantage for us after the break.

 

[PuckMagi]

overall i think it's a positive.

it would have been better to rest JVR and Kessel... but oh well.

i think it'll actually be a positive for kulemin because he'll get to play with some great linemates and i think he will enjoy playing in his home country with other russians... so think he could come back more invigorated and with more confidence.

but considering we're only losing those 3 players and other teams are losing many more players, i think we come out on top.

plus it gives bolland, holland, mcclment, etc. time to heal up.

so relative to all the other times, i think we're in good shape.

 

[Leafs87]

Wish jvr and kessel didn't make team USA

 

[Zaled]

It can be a positive/negative depending on how the players are affected emotionally, after the olympics.

Reading this article http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/02/09/why-nhl-coaches-are-worried-about-a-sochi-hangover/

You can see that randy Carlyle had his players struggling to play at the level they were playing at before the olympic break, back in 2010, when he had 7+ players take part in the olympics.

Hopefully Kessel and JVR still have alot of emotion to bring to the team after the olympics. We still have 22+ games left to play and we really can't afford our best players to be in a slump when they make there return from the break.

 

[Hotlanta]

Positives:

Bolland - Needs the time to get up to NHL speed.

Holland - Needs the time to heal. Hopefully is healthy to tear up 4 games for the Marlies on the wing during the break.

McClement - Needs the time to access damage and heal

Lupul - Something is wrong with this guy, this time should help him get it together

JVR - He should get a bunch of confidence and will hopefully be coming back to a team that will no longer have to rely on him for the PK with Bolland back.

Phaneuf + Gunnarsson - Time for them to get well rested

Kulemin - Time to get his confidence back

Gleason - Time to heal all those bruises, so you can start earning new ones

Franson - Hopefully takes this as an opportunity to get in a mini-training camp since he desperately needed it.


Negative:

Kessel - He is a durable player but I worry.


Neutral:

Bozak - As long as he doesn't get carpal tunnel from his Xbox, rest is never a bad thing.

Kadri - Don't party too hard.

Clarkson - Plenty of time to practise his chirping.

Rielly + Gardiner - Time to go shopping for a matching wardrobe.

 

[Mindrust]

Positive.

Nice break for guys to get healthy, especially Bolland.

Good opportunity to give Bernier a break heading into the stretch.

And let's face it, we were probably coming due for a slump, too!

My thoughts exactly.

People assume that just because we were hot, we could have carried that into the playoffs... lmao! Fools, the lot of them.

 

[Warden of the North]

Its a positive. The injury situation could have become quite dire if JayMc was forced to miss some time.

 

[Warden of the North]

Wish jvr and kessel didn't make team USA

If they werent playing well enough to be on team USA we wouldnt be nearly as high in the standings as we are.

....always look on bright side of life...

 

[Kitchen]

i think it also will give the leafs that mini training camp again with EVERYONE there. they can hammer down the defensive zone issues, really reinforce things that make us work.... sure everyone gets this, but I feel we'll benefit. I think we'll benefit from the break.

I could be wrong but i thought that the players weren't allowed to practice with the team during the break

 

[HockeyThoughts]

I could be wrong but i thought that the players weren't allowed to practice with the team during the break

I'd say you're wrong.. But I have no proof. I'd be interested to hear the right answer too.

 

[hoglund]

I would say it's a negative because it will kill the momentum of their win streak. The only positive is it gives more time for Bolland to heal.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Mostly positive, as most of the players get a break.

I just hope that the US and Russia fall out of the medals.

I do think we can beat the worst home team in our first game back, then its on the road against
the Met, in 2 must win games.

 

[ShaneFalco]

It's a bit of both. We were on a roll, but I'm sure the players could use the rest. Especially Phaneuf and Gleason

 

[Kitchen]

I'd say you're wrong.. But I have no proof. I'd be interested to hear the right answer too.

it seems like we might both be kinda right, the NHL is off from the 9th to the 25th but players that are not participating in the olympics must report back for practice on the 19th. however, it doesn't say explicitly that players are not allowed to practice with their teams at the start of these two articles

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/02/09/why-nhl-coaches-are-worried-about-a-sochi-hangover/

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=704213

 

[egd27]

Excellent question but not sure, someone else may know though?

Because that made me laugh.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/transactions/

It doesn't appear that anyone was assigned to the Marlies.

 

[driver3000]

Positive. Gives key guys like Bernier and Dion a few weeks to rest. Guys like JVR and Kessel can (hopefully) benefit from a successful Olympics on a personal level. Plus allows Bolland to recover for a little longer and every other player who has nagging injuries to get over those.

 

[ACC1224]

Because that made me laugh.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/transactions/

It doesn't appear that anyone was assigned to the Marlies.

Thanks.

Is that surprising that no one was assigned?

 

[Kessley Snipes*]

I think it is positive for the fact that it allows guys who were nursing bumps and bruises to get some extra rest and heal up for the stretch drive.

Guys like Phaneuf who play 25-30 minutes a night have to be hurting at this point in the year and I for one am happy that he will be getting a break.

The guys who are going to the games will be amped up as well when they return.

 

[Commander Clueless]

The positives are the rest for Bernier and the time for Bolland to get back.

Unfortunately, we interrupted a hot streak. That's a major negative that, to me, outweighs any positive.

Also, we have the added risk of Kessel or JVR getting banged up over there in Russia.